The Doctor's Daughter- The Truth of Stark
by StarkyGirl
Summary: River and Ella finally are coming to terms with each other's presence, River more so because she knows something about the Doctor's latest companion. Is Ella more than what anyone thought her to be or is she just like the others? The Doctor finds out but not in a way he ever thought he would...


The TARDIS shook violently; Ella stumbled into the Doctor while River fell into the console. The Doctor grabbed Ella, staring down at her with a bright grin, "Got ya!" He exclaimed before setting her upright again. Ella smiled back at him, her blue eyes glittering back at his brown ones. River glanced at them; it killed her to think that this dark secret was lurking in the back of her mind.

Ella grasped the TARDIS console, keeping herself steady. "So when I said 5028… I kinda meant 'when I ask for lessons, don't bother' ok?" She laughed, as River came round to her side and helped with setting the course right. Since Ella had met River, they didn't get on all so well in the beginning, it was as if she was encroaching in on Ella's territory, on her Doctor. Eventually over time, she grew close to River, began to look at River as a mother that she never had. "All ok there?" River asked, giving Ella a sly wink.

Ella immediately nodded back at her, the Doctor flailing round to Ella's other side. "Hello Stark!" He laughed, stumbling back and hitting the railing. "Right! I think that's enough!" He leaned forward and hit a button, the box falling silent. Both girls pulled themselves up, taking a deep breath and straightened out their clothes. "Well, that was certainly… a trip. Your driving is worse than the Doctor's." River laughed, her husband looking up and scowling a little at her remark. "I have you know I drive it properly." He waggled a finger, trying to bury a smirk form passing his lips. "Well, if you two don't mind… future and all that!" Ella giggled, grabbing the fez from the console that the Doctor had been wearing only a few hours ago.

She rammed it onto her head, her brown curly locks poking out from underneath. The Doctor huffed a little but soon sighed as River curled her fingers around his. "Don't worry, you'll get it back eventually," His wife whispered as his latest companion bounded out the TARDIS doors. Ella was waiting outside, twirling on the spot as she took in the sight. It was simply stunning, simply beautiful, a place of tranquillity. "Hey look at us!" Ella laughed, "A time travelling family!"  
The Doctor led River outside, seeing Ella so happy to be where she was, it came to her almost naturally and that had always intrigued him. River smiled brightly, leaning close to her husband; however the Doctor had other ideas. He let go of River's hand for a moment, racing over to Ella and stealing the fez back off her head before making his way to River's side once more. "Gosh you two are like a pair of clowns in a circus." River exclaimed with a laugh as she watched Ella pout at the Doctor. "And you love it River." He winked at her, grabbing her hand once more.

Ella bent down, picking a few blades of grass before standing up again and glancing around, "Are we in… future London?" She turned to River and the Doctor, grinning.  
"Ella you flew us here!" The Doctor laughed as he noted Ella's slight scowl, oh he loved to wind up his best friend. "Doesn't mean I know where we went! I just flew us into the year 5028!" Ella darted off to her left, studying the trees that hung down over them, before turning and observing the floor beneath her.

A few times she smacked her lips together, tasting the air. "Ella, honey! Do not run off to far, you know how the Doctor has the ability to bring trouble with him." River chuckled softly, the Doctor gasping a little, "How rude! Actually, to be precise… I –married- trouble" He then laughed, the look on River's face was priceless. "Anyway… come along River." He tugged on her arm, River shaking her head and laughing a little. "Don't rush me." River smirked at him; the endless flirting between them gave her great joy. "My, my, now who is waiting for whom for once?" The Doctor winked at her, their hands entwined. A sudden shout echoed out, "OH MY GODS THE TOWERS SING?!" Ella flailed her arms as River and the Doctor joined her.  
Now River had suddenly found this rather amusing, she leaned close to her husband, "She gets far too excited you know." The Doctor was wide eyed, barely hearing River's comment about Ella. He couldn't be here, not now, not ever. He didn't want to be here, if he was then it meant… "No, not now, I can't let her die now." He murmured to himself, the pain of losing River was gradually breaking him inside.

Ella was unaware of it all, flittering back and forth, dancing to the harmonious melody coming from the towers before them. She was a like a child free of her parents rules, able to run amok. River however had noted that the Doctor had gone rather quiet, "Sweetie, what is it?" Her husband glanced up at her, letting out a sigh and running his free hand through his hair. "It's nothing…" He glanced at Ella, seeing her flail about. "Guys..." She placed her hands in front of her, "They –sing-… they physically sing!" She laughed so hard that tears were forcing their way down her cheeks. "It's amazing," River murmured, staring up at the towers.  
The Doctor was still not responding to the pair of them, he couldn't understand why he was here, so soon? It wasn't time! Finally he glanced up, "Hmm yea, yea… amazing." River had noted his sadness, she turned to him and placed a hand on his cheek, "Sweetie what is it?"

Ella turned to see them getting rather close, "Erm… if you two are going to…smooch and stuff. Give me fair warning so I can go hide." River glanced over at Ella and laughed softly, "Of course not, everything is ok." The Doctor on the other hand ran his hand through his hair before wiping his face, suddenly he pointed at Ella, "No you're right, go and enjoy yourself, go on." If he allowed his best friend to see him get upset as well, then it'd be even harder. Ella's eyes widened at the offer, she never thought he'd let her roam freely. "Are you sure?!" She almost squealed, hands pressed together. River laughed, "Go on, once in a life time hey?" She winked at the excited girl, who was on the verge of bursting with excitement. Ella instantly ran off, heading over to the towers in order to study them, it was simply fascinating.

The Doctor on the other hand guided River up the hill side to the summit where she could see the view that lay out before them. His wife was astounded at the view, gasping softly, "It's beautiful…" she turned to him and furrowed her brow, "But something else is up, are you ok?"  
The Doctor's jaw tightened a little, "I'm fine, everything is fine." He took the moment to sit down on the loveseat that had been built for couples to sit upon, taking River down with him. She flailed a little at the tug but soon enough snuggled up to his side, "Of course… always ok." She had heard him tell her that countless times and each time she pretended to believe him, of course, the Doctor knew this but never let on. However deep down he wanted to tell her everything, to break the rules and not care but yet, this was fixed, so fixed that it created time.

He turned away a little, hiding a tear that slipped down his cheek before wiping it away. The sudden turn from her had caught River's attention. She reached out and placed a hand on his knee, "Sweetie, have I done something wrong?" Her fingers pressed a little tighter against his leg. The Doctor glanced up before huddling himself against her, silent tears slipping down his cheeks, "Of course not, you could never do anything wrong." If he told her, just took her away and ran forever then surely things would be ok. No, they wouldn't be, it was fixed. Just like Ella's late lover's death was fixed and the same with River… all fixed.

River held him close, catching him sniffling as he cuddled up to her it was odd to see him like this but she was clueless to what he was thinking because their timelines were so broken. She gently lifted his face with her finger under his chin, her eyes meeting his and noting the tears that rest upon his cheeks. "It's ok, whatever it is, you don't have to tell me." The Doctor simply stared at her, all he could think that he was here with her right now, nothing else mattered and that it was only for a short time. The words that left his mouth was "Sorry, I'm so, so sorry," Over and over again, as if somehow his prayers would be heard and be answered. These words though had River thinking, she knew that this meant there was something coming that he had witnessed and she was yet to face and he couldn't change it. River pulled him close, kissing his forehead gently and letting slip a tear or two. "No need to apologise my love." She murmured as she held him close to her, fingers gently stroking his hair, the soft hum of the singing towers echoed out.

What seemed like a while, her husband finally pulled back from her, pulling out his now modified sonic from his pocket. "Y-you should… take this…" He placed it in her open hands, gently wrapping her fingers around it, a few sobs escaping him as he turned away. River furrowed her brow at the device in her hands, trying to understand why he had just given her this. She reached up and grasped his shoulder, "Sweetie… I don't understand."  
He shook his head, "Don't ask why… just take it." Finally his voice broke, tears now falling uncontrollably as he broke down, his face nuzzling into the crook of River's neck.

Ella had got bored, she'd studied the building, she had studied the grass and the trees and everything else that was within reach so now she decided to go find her friends. The poor girl had not expected what she found, sitting on the bench by a large tree, it seemed she was witnessing something quite… painful. As she watched River hold her husband close, sobbing quietly into her shoulder, it seemed by the look on River's face that she had no clue of what was to come but imagined it to be an awful storm. Maybe she should tell him of that little secret? However her trail of thought was interrupted, the Doctor clinging to her as he spoke, "River… I..." He just couldn't find the words. "Sweetie, don't say anything, I love you ok?" Her fingers caressed his cheek as he glanced up at her, "I love you too, but why… why does this have to…" He fell silent once more as he choked back more tears.

Ella ran a hand through her hair, finding it hard to watch this moment unfold before her. She loved the pair of them; they were, after all, the closet to family that she would get. River lifted the Doctor's chin up so they were looking at each other once again. "You soppy man, my Doctor, my sweet, sweet Doctor." She leaned in close to him and kissed him softly while more tears slipped down her cheeks. An unexpected move on her part but the Doctor didn't mind, he kissed her back, hands grasping her tightly in fear that if he let go then she'd be lost to him, pure determination to make this moment last. He needed to tell her though, tell her why he was doing this, but those words would forever be cut off with tears. Once parted, River reached up and brushed that floppy fringe of his from his wet eyes, a small smile through tears passed his way, "What ever it is Sweetie, it'll be fine… all fine."

The Doctor knew it wouldn't be though, he knew even though he smiled back, the tears silently falling. His hand trailed up her side to her cheek, his fingers resting against her soft, plump cheeks that he had so graciously fallen in love with. "Oh my sweet River, I've never trusted anyone like I have trusted you." The Doctor bit his lip a little, trying so hard to not let his voice break. It would be so easy to change it all, to fix it and never look back. If they would just stick together, make this little trip last all that much longer, longer than one day at the least then… he knew he couldn't, if it meant risking tearing time apart.

Ella was still curled up, still wondering if she was to lose the two people she trusted dearly so soon. From the way her friend was talking, it sounded like he knew what was to come. However, behind where Ella had slumped against the tree, River caressed her husband's cheek, still trying to smile through tears, "And I have trusted you from the moment I met you." She rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes, "I love you so much… more than you could imagine." The Doctor knew that every word from here on out was the truth, but he couldn't let her go just like that, not after everything. "I wish there was a way..." His fingers curled around her shirt, grasping her tightly until he had a sudden thought, "No! No I will not stand for this! Time can be re-written." But he knew deep down it couldn't be this time, "I don't care if it's fixed!" It made River jump slightly as her husband seemed so angered but the fact he was going to lose her. Her heart sank though, a fixed point and nothing to stop it from happening, but yet she had accepted her fate. "You can't change what needs to be done." River practically pleaded with him, knowing the consequences all too well. "I can damn try! I have to!" The Doctor was on the verge of shouting the place down if he didn't get his way but River tried so hard to keep him calm. Ella could hear it though; hear the lie in his voice as if he was trying to give himself false hope. However what Ella had not noticed was that River was trying to tell the Doctor something, "Look, Sweetie, you are so strong and you have such a special girl in your life and you'll eventually know her far too well, she is far more different then you first imagined." She lifted her husband's chin with her finger, her brown eyes meeting his hazel ones, "I would erase the whole of time and space if it meant being at your side. Now I know by tearing apart time and space may not give you what you desire but I'll always come find you."

The Doctor let slip tears before pressing his lips to hers, a kiss so desperate, so full of need and hope and love but yet there was the underlying sadness, despair and anger. River returned the kiss, making sure that if this was t be her last then she'd make it one to last. Finally the Doctor parted from her, "You mean so much to me, losing you will be so hard." He paused, swallowing back more tears, "How do I let go of something I love so dearly?" River could see in those sorrow filled eyes the burden it held upon him. This moment had been far too long coming and finally it had arrived. "With pure grace and elegance my love."

Ella shuffled out from behind the tree, tear tracks tainting her soft cheeks as she spotted the couple embracing. Immediately her legs began to take off, her arms flinging themselves around the pair before pulling them close. River and the Doctor swayed back a little from the sudden hug before they both pulled Ella into the embrace. The Doctor tried to recollect himself, he hadn't want Ella to be worried for him. His arm wrapped around the normally enthusiastic young girl, "Hey you," His voice broke a little. "Please don't leave us." Ella murmured as she glanced at River, tears in her eyes. River couldn't help but chuckle softly, the simple fact that if they knew what secret she held within then things might have played out differently. "It'll be a long time yet," Her arm tightened round Ella while the other grasped her husband's hand, who, right now was glad they never met in the right order.

Ella pouted a little, trying hard not to cry. "Good because it wouldn't be fair otherwise." A little selfish? Yes, but Ella never had this sort of closeness with people in her life. River pressed her lips to Ella's forehead, it had been far too long, "You have plenty of time with me. I'm not the type to leave behind something I've just gained that is so perfect without making sure it had my full attention." Ella hid her face in River's shoulder, the three of them hugging tightly. The Doctor managed to chuckle a little, "There is no going away… not yet. You'll always be in my hearts." He pulled them close, "So one heart each… alright." He let out a quiet laugh. 

River felt a little queasy though, it seemed the time to tell the truth was gaining fast. As they finally settled down a little, the Doctor giving River a cheeky kiss before talking with Ella about this, that and the other, Ella finally piped up. "You never told me how the building sing." The Doctor glanced at Ella as they sat upon the grass before glancing up at the buildings. "It's a secret and no doubt you'll figure it out because you're brilliant." Ella was not impressed with that response, so she sat there watching the building's as she tried to come up with a theory.

River decided to drop a subtle hint, "She's more than brilliant, she's one of us." Ella raised a brow but before she could respond to what River had said, the Doctor was ruffling Ella's hair, "Of course she is, been travelling with me long enough." He then leant back and grasped River's hand while Ella fixed her hair, "I am not that brilliant, may I point out." River sat there, amused by this little show of affection, if only they knew. "Look, if Ella isn't brilliant then I am not the Doctor. She's got me out of trouble more times than I can shake a stick at." Ella tilted her head at him a little, "How many times have you shaken a stick at that?"  
"Well let's just say it took a few days." The Doctor scratched his cheek for a moment before chuckling at the absurd thought. However he had noted River's expression and decided to question it. "Is there something wrong my dear?" Ella also glanced over at River, who was now rather suspicious looking "No, why do you ask?" River glanced at the Doctor and smiled innocently.

"I ask because you don't have the 'he's hot when he's clever' face on you. Now what is it?"  
Ella screwed her nose up a little in slight disgust and confusion while River merely shrugged and replied, "Nothing is up sweetie."  
The Doctor didn't like the response he received and decided to poke her arm, "River spit it out or I will not stop poking you until you do tell me." He poked her arm on every word before tapping her nose on the last word. River raised a brow at him, clearly unimpressed with his childish actions. "Oh dear lord River, please tell him before we all go crazy," Ella laughed as she lay back on the grass at their feet, hands behind her head as she gazed up at the sky. "I agree with Ella. And if you say spoilers I will be very, very cross with you." The Doctor flashed a grin at his wife before giving her one last prod. River sighed realising she couldn't hide it any longer. Her fingers reached up and rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think of the right way to say it before realising there wasn't. 

"I am a lot older than the last time you saw me, both of you and during that time… things happened, things changed." She glanced between the pair of them before letting go of the back of her neck. Ella sat up, seeing River was worried, as did the Doctor. "I had a child." River mumbled as she shied away from the pair of them. The Doctor stopped breathing. Literally. His eyes widened a little, his teeth digging into his lower lip as she stared at River. "Is… is it, you know, ours?" The man was freaking out inside, wondering how this was even possible but then again…anything was. At this question, River scoffed and thumped her husband's arm, "What do you take me for?! Of course it is." She paused then let out a sigh, before going on to explain. "However something happened and she was taken from me, but you know in 1991 these things happen and you get caught out." The Doctor still had wide eyes, like a rabbit in headlights as his brain worked at a million miles an hour. "Wait! 1991?" He pointed at Ella who was staring at River and then at the Doctor. "No… no way?" The man murmured in shock, still trying to understand it all.

River gave him a small nod, "Bingo, hence our earlier conversation about family, I was worried you wouldn't accept her. I'm so sorry" She gave them both a weak smile, hoping they'd understand all of this. Ella was just as shocked as the Doctor was, it was news that she had never expected, news that she thought was too good to be true. "You're pulling my leg…" That was all the young girl could say right now as she stared at River. For a moment there was silence between them until. "I… my family never died? Never…" Ella began to hyperventilate, feeling so dizzy. The Doctor rushed to Ella's side, trying to calm her down before glancing up at River, "Don't be sorry… this is… awesome." He laughed softly before kissing Ella on the forehead then doing the same to River. His wife sat there confused to why her husband, the Doctor, had not flipped out, not screamed or shouted at her. River averted her gaze to the floor, "I'm sorry for lying, for not letting you know sooner, but I had to be sure." She twiddled her thumbs while the Doctor calmed his newly acclaimed daughter down. "Lying? You think I care about that? Rule One River: We lie." He winked at her while Ella simply sat there, still trying to understand what was going on and honestly, she had no idea what to think.

River came to Ella's other side, seeing that quite clearly Ella was not ok. "Hun, are you ok?" Her hand rested on Ella's shoulder for a moment as the girl slowly turned to look at River, "I… erm, my limbs are numb." She gently rubbed her scarred cheek, as she frowned back at the floor. "Ella I am so sorry… I really am." River wrapped Ella into a hug, wishing she had said sooner. While the Doctor sat there grinning insanely because he was happy, Ella collapsed in River's arms and grasped a hold of her. "Does this mean I can't call you River and him Doc?" Ella thought on this before adding, "Huh… that will be weird." River rubbed her daughter's back a little, a small smile on her lips, this was the first time in fourteen years that she had held her again. "It's up to you honey, we're not forcing you into anything."

Beside the two, the Doctor was laughing to himself before simply letting it all out, it seemed the only way of coping with this, "Ella nothing will change, well only to a certain degree." His daughter glanced at him, she had no idea whether to laugh or cry and eventually she pointed at the Doctor and said, "You're my dad… and River my mum." Finally she slumped back and sighed, rubbing her eyes. The Doctor placed an arm around Ella's shoulder, "Yes, it would be apparent and I know it's a shock but, you'll adapt, we all will." Suddenly his daughter threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder and mumbled, "You, you two never cease to amaze me." The Doctor laughed, grasping a hold of her and kissed Ella's cheek. The shock was wearing off a little, but then something else was now nagging at him. If Ella was his then why had she scanned for human when they first went travelling, why was she showing no signs of a Gallifreyan? He didn't want to add to the poor girl's shock but he needed to know.

Ella finally let go of her father, her feelings so mixed that even her brain was on the verge of a break down. She had no idea whether to laugh and jump around for joy or simply breakdown and cry. The latter seemed to be winning. Eventually the girl got to her feet and began to pace, muttering to herself as she slowly but surely processed the information she had received. River was a little worried by her daughter's pacing, it was something the Doctor did when he was thinking or in a bad situation. What River didn't know was that Ella was thinking on things and found she had far too many questions and that she was actually quite angry.

River leaned close to her husband, eyes still on her daughter and asked in a low whisper, "Is she ok?"  
The Doctor shrugged a little and replied, "Not a clue, I mean it's shocking, I'm shocked at it myself but… I mean…" He gestured to Ella then let out a puff of air, "I have no idea. Well that's new, not knowing." The Doctor fell silent though when he noted Ella had stopped pacing and slowly turned to face the couple. "You…left me." River went to reply to her husband when Ella spoke up, a little angered. "What do you mean?"

The Doctor instantly raised his hands in innocence for this was news to him. "I didn't know, but you have to understand that our lives are complicated, there is probably good reason for this, probably to protect you!" Of course Ella failed to see this, to see that it could have been out of care for her. For a teenager though, well nearly an adult it was still hard on her emotions, especially for one who wore her heart on her sleeve. "I was six years old! Six! And you left me on me on my own and even then…" She was hyperventilating again, "All I had was one other person and she died when I was sixteen. How could you?!" The girl's fingers curled up into fists, her heart breaking in two as she let the tears fall down her cheeks. River got up and cautiously went to her daughter's side, "Ella I am so sorry but it was for your safety."

The Doctor stood there, wondering what he could do to ease the situation but it seemed all the truths needed to come out, to be told in order things to be healed. He thought on the idea, most of it had made sense because when he last saw River, she seemed different, worried even. Ella was still trying to breath, still trying to make sense of it all. "I was so alone…" She murmured, before a sob escaped her. Ella couldn't stand there for much longer, stepping away; her feet took her off in a direction from them. River went to go after her but her husband had already took off after the emotionally unstable girl. "Ella please, I know it is hard being alone, trust me I –know-." The Doctor stopped in front of Ella, his hands on her shoulder's to stop her as he gazed into her sea blue eyes. "However, we both care for you and we've proven that countless times to you even before this. No doubt that whatever happened, we've wanted to be there for you, wanted to stop the heartbreak but…"

He glanced at River over his daughter's shoulder. "…and I am truly sorry that I couldn't stop it but you're here now, you're back in our care, please." The last word was murmured but it was full of love for the girl. Ella stared back at his stunning hazel eyes; it ached to see that he was sorry for something that had not even happened to him yet. "I… I guess I'm scared… that's all." There was no longer an angry tone to her voice, if anything it was soft spoken and a little shaky. The Doctor gave her a small smile brushing some hair back from Ella's eyes, "You don't have to be anymore, not ever. If you need us then you shout, you wish and you pray because we'll always come running, always be here." He pulled the girl into a hug and for the first time it was one that allowed his paternal instincts to take over. Ella couldn't help but wonder how long this would last though, the way they were talking earlier; it seemed that River was leaving sometime in the near future. "But how long for?" She murmured as River joined them, placing a hand on Ella's shoulder.

The Doctor pulled back from the hug, looking rather surprised, "How long for? Forever, for as long as you want, because…" He paused and looked at River, who in return knew exactly what he was trying to tell the girl. "Doctor?" Ella watched him, seeing he was trying to find the words. "Your father is trying to tell you that you're not who you thought you were." God, it really was hard trying to tell Ella she wasn't quite human. The Doctor finally blurted out a jumble of words, "Of course she is herself River… what a silly…" He shook his head and glanced back at Ella, "Look Ella, think about it. River and I are not exactly human so therefore you're not human; you're one of us…" The Doctor gestured to his chest where his hearts sat. "You're a Time Lord… well lady… that sounded better in my head." He frowned a little while Ella simply stared at him in confusion. "Wait what?"

"Well you're not complete Time Lord, well we can't be certain because there have been no signs of a second heart." Well wasn't he digging a deep grave for himself? Ella's eyes widened as she stared at him, trying to make sense of it all, a sudden wash of nausea passed over her. She gazed down at her hands, turning them this way and that as if expecting them to change form for a moment. It seemed to make sense though, "Right… because… that would explain a lot."  
"A lot?" River repeated, wondering what Ella was on about. The Doctor raised a brow to the reaction his daughter had to this. He'd tried to be delicate with her to the best of his abilities, in all honesty, he thought he'd done well with this considering it wasn't everyday he had the chance to tell someone they were a part of his species, the lost species. "Yes… I mean…"

"Have you regenerated before Ella?" The Doctor abruptly interrupted, he had to be sure. Ella shook her head, trying to figure out if she had or not but then again, she had no idea what that was. "No… before we met, I was the outcast, the different one. My brain could think at a faster level than everyone else, even I struggled to understand myself at times…" She paused and glanced up at her father.  
"It's part of the species to a certain extent." The Doctor chuckled softly; now realising he wasn't the last of his kind anymore. Ella adjusted herself a little, tugging on the hem of her top for a moment. "You know… finally for once I feel…normal, I fit in." She chuckled softly, glancing between her new found parents. River smiled at Ella, "It's not that you didn't fit in, you were just too much for the world to handle." It was true though, placing a Gallifreyan on Earth and forcing them to grow up here with no brain stimulation to fix their idea filled minds, well it was hard to cope. "Normal is something you do not want to be Ella, trust me it's boring." The Doctor piped up, grinning brightly at his girls. "Anyway…" He clapped his hands together, "How about a family trip, a little celebration?" The Doctor grinned brightly at them, he was so grateful for this right now.


End file.
